Against the Odds
by mcangel1976
Summary: Tamaki and Haruhi are engaged to be married, but a disagreement may have ended everything. Will they be able to work it out and find mutual ground to stand upon? Will their love be enough to give them their happy ending? Sometimes even when the world is against you, determination and love can shift the odds to your favor.
1. Love and Respect

**Disclaimer: I don't know Ouran High School Host Club or its characters, but will continue to use them for my enjoyment and for yours.**

 **A/N: Haruhi's Rose asked me to write a Tamaki/Haruhi pairing. Not my fave pairing and one I don't typically write unless it is to break them up. I see her more with someone else, but I'm all for trying to push myself as a writer and rise to the challenge. Honestly, I wasn't going to write it for a while since I have several Ouran stories in the works along with other genres; however, while I was driving home this morning, I heard Phil Collin's song, Against the Odds and a story idea popped into my head. It will only be a one or two shot, but here is my first Tamaki/Haruhi story. I hope you like it.**

Chapter 1 – Love and Respect

He stood there in the foyer staring at the now closed doors, hearing the servants whispering around him. He could already imagine what they were thinking, what they were saying, "Atrocious behavior." And they would be right. He had acted deplorable to his fiancée and after the fight they just had, anyone currently on the premises of the second Suoh estate knew it; of course, given the fact the majority of them, they might be siding with him instead of her. And for that, they would be wrong. It was his fault, everything was his fault.

Five years ago, Haruhi accidentally entered the sanctity of Music Room Three and forever turned the world upside down for six men. She was brash, brutally honest, had zero fashion sense, no riches, and had an intelligence on par with Kyoya Ootori…and within months, all six hosts of the Ouran High School Host Club had been won over, and by the end of the school year all six of them had fallen for her to some degree.

Some believed he was an idiot because he called himself her daddy. They also believed that he didn't realize his real feelings for her at first, but he always knew. Granted he was a little slow because he didn't realize right away that the male student that strode through the double doors was actually female, however, after that he picked up on more than what they gave him credit for. Tamaki knew exactly how he felt about Haruhi, and he could see how his friends, the people closest to him felt for her as well. Kyoya, who hardly ever gave people the time of day, seemed to take an avid interest in her. Mori seemed to open up and started to protect more than just Hunny. Hunny's mature side came out more. And the twins…they started to bloom. Yes, he knew how he felt about the petite brunette, but he also knew how his friends – his second family really – felt about her too, and the last thing he wanted to do was to cause animosity amongst the ranks, to break up the family.

As time marched on, new suiters seemed to pop up out of nowhere; as well as new hurdles to jump through. The name Éclair still caused involuntary shudders. He had come so close to throwing away his family and what he had with Haruhi…. Sometimes Tamaki thought he really was an idiot.

Somewhere along the lines though, his friends stopped being his rivals and tried to help him win the girl. And somewhere along the way, she had fallen for him just as he had fallen for her. Some would have called it a Cinderella story, and they may have been right, however, Haruhi was the one that did the rescuing, not the other way around. His family had money and power, but in his grandmother's eyes he was nothing more than a means to an end because he was his father's only child. To the Suoh family, he was their puppet.

And then Haruhi entered his life and changed everything. He now had a family, people who cared about him and his future, his feelings. He was no longer just a mere puppet. With her at his side, he found strength, love, hope, and a future. Even if he did not remain with the Suoh family, if his grandmother decided to kick him out, he knew he would be all right because Haruhi was there. In truth, since the moment he left his own mother in France, he had not felt like he completely belonged anywhere or to anyone, not 100%. Kyoya was his friend, but he kind of forced himself on the bespectacled teen. The twins were conned into joining his club, and Hunny and Mori…well, Hunny had been bribed. If he had not foisted himself onto them, would they have been his friends? Even knowing he was nothing more than the bastard son of an illicit affair between the school's chairman and some French woman? The answer was probably not.

With Haruhi around, class and family no longer mattered. In her eyes, it was about the person inside; and they all strived to better themselves. They wanted to be something in her eyes, they wanted to be esteemed and respected…by her. Their families would make decisions about their future and they would probably not care two cents if their sons wanted it or not – that was the life of the elite class. However, with Haruhi in the mix, they all wanted to be the men she could respect and admire, regardless if she fell for them or not. They wanted to be more than just a pawn for their families because to her, it didn't matter what class you were born in, everyone was human.

That was just one of the many things Tamaki loved about Haruhi; and now he had blown it. After their argument, she had stormed out the door and yelled, "If that's the way it's going to be, I'm through! Goodbye!" The door opened flooding the foyer with light, and then slammed closed darkening the home and the mood. He had truly messed up, and he didn't know how to fix it. It was the same argument they had been having for the past six months. An argument which was stupid to begin with, had now ended his relationship with Haruhi.

Was it really over? He didn't know for sure and she hadn't returned the ring, but had a feeling he had truly lost her this time. He stood there and watched her leave, and she never looked his way. And now all he wanted was for her to come back through that door so he could pull her into his arms, kiss her, and tell her she only need to command him and he would do anything for her…and that included having the rehearsal dinner or after party at her father's bar. It seemed trivial and idiotic now. Tamaki had refused, and she argued that her father wanted to do this for them. He still refused. Her comment then was, if you can't accept my father and his lifestyle, you can't really accept me. Maybe she was right. In all honesty, he had rejected the idea because he was afraid of what his family would say. Would his grandmother balk? Yes, she probably would. Would his family's business partners be afraid? Probably. However, his fiancée was only asking for one dinner or one party, and the after party would probably only consist of the couple's closest friends. So what did it matter? Nothing. He knew that now.

Since they had been together, Tamaki had won over Ranka…kind of. They had come to a tacit understanding that Haruhi's happiness meant more than the father's dislike of who his daughter was dating. What would happen now?

Haruhi had bent over backwards to please his grandmother, and had given up a lot of her wants and desires for their own wedding in order to please the Suoh family; and her one request, the one thing she refused to give up on, he refused to allow her to have. Why? He actually wasn't sure any longer.

"You know Master Tamaki," Shima, the chief of staff at the second estate began, "She loves you a lot, and I know you love her as well, but relationships are about give and take. If a person only gives, soon they have nothing left to give any longer."

Shoulders slumping, Tamaki nodded, "I know, Shima."

"So what are you going to do? I didn't raise you to be so wishy washy. What happened to the man you wanted to be for her?"

"What can I do? She left."

"When has that ever stopped you? I seem to recall when you were in high school and you tried to leave, she raced after you. All of your friends helped her to retrieve you."

His head snapped up, eyes focused on the door, and he ordered, "Bring me the car. I need to find Haruhi!"

Smiling, Shima turned around and left her charge, "Good boy."

Tamaki didn't wait to see if his order was fulfilled. Instead, he ran out of the front door so that he could jump in the vehicle as soon as it arrived, and he immediately stopped. Sitting on the bottom step of the staircase leading to the front door, Haruhi sat holding her knees, hunched over, her body shaking as if she were crying. Slowly, he approached her and whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Haruhi. Please give me another chance."

The shaking stopped, but she did not lift her head as she muttered, "You baka! I didn't break up with you, I just got mad at you." Her head whipped around so she could look at him, "Did you really think I would break up with you just because you're an idiot?"

There were tear tracks on her face, and she was as red as a tomato, and he thought she looked utterly beautiful. "I just…yeah. I did think that."

"I was mad and frustrated. I just needed time to think, but when I left, I couldn't bring myself to actually leave, so I sat here."

Sitting next to her, he wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her close, "We'll have the after party at your father's bar. I think a smaller party would be better there anyway. Would that be acceptable?"

"Yes. That's all I wanted." She leaned up and gave him a small kiss.

"When you walked out that door, I really thought it was over this time. I thought the odds were stacked against me."

"So why did you come out?"

"I was coming after you. I may have had all the odds against me, but I had to try and win you back. I love you too much to let you go."

"I love you too, you baka," she smiled.

Leaning down, he captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Life was not perfect and they would probably have tons of arguments, however, even if the world was against them, they would stand together forever because that is what they were meant to do. They loved each other, received strength from each other, and needed each other in their lives. Against the odds and what anyone said, they were going to make it work.


	2. Life Was Funny That Way

**A/N: I hope all of you have enjoyed this Tamaki/Haruhi story. Haruhi's Rose, I told you I would actually write this pairing, and I did it. I hope you liked it! Until next story!**

Chapter 2 – Life Is Funny That Way

When Haruhi started her school career at Ouran Private Academy, the last thing she ever expected was to fall in love with the overly dramatic blond who chased her around Music Room 3 causing her to break a very expensive vase. And yet, that is exactly what happened. Tamaki was intrusive, knew no bounds, was a drama king, and a prince among men. He completely swept her off of her feet to the point that before she realized it, she had completely fallen in love with him. With a little more time, she realized she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

Tamaki Suoh was probably the furthest thing away from the man Haruhi actually pictured ending up with. The way he acted, the way he presented himself reminded her too much like her father; and while she loved her father and his quirkiness, she didn't believe she wanted to marry someone like that. Fate had a funny way of doing the exact opposite of what one expected, and Haruhi was pretty sure her mother was up in heaven laughing. Way back when her parents had first met, for her father, it was love at first sight. For her mother…not so much. In fact, it could actually be said that Kotoko pretty much hated Ranka. However, her father was persistent and kept at it, eventually wearing the love of his life down. Kotoko finally gave in and agreed to one date. One date turned into two and the next thing the couple knew, they were getting married and having a baby.

Their dream ended too soon, but while they were living it, they enjoyed every moment they spent together. That's what Haruhi wanted. After losing her mother at a young age, Haruhi knew that tomorrow was never promised and time was finite. Nothing should be taken for granted, and although she went through much of her life after her mother died with blinders on, after meeting the hosts, she would never live in the dark again. Tamaki helped shine a bright light on everything and made life more colorful.

On the flip side, he could almost be too much to handle. His feeling were quick to get hurt, especially when it was from someone he considered a friend; hell, he probably had never met a stranger before in his life. He talked to everyone and drew them in. His open nature made him easy to get along with…until he skulked into his corner of woe, and then depending on the reason, it may or may not be easy to get him out. He was over dramatic, liked to make everyone happy, and would be willing to sacrifice himself for that goal. Occasionally, he acted like a complete moron, drove everyone around him crazy, and yet, everyone remained loyal to him. That was just the kind of man Tamaki Suoh was – even when you upon occasion wanted to kill him, you still loved him and knew you would never hurt him too badly.

Haruhi knew they would have their fights and disagreements, no relationship was perfect, but it was how they responded and worked through those trying times that would define them and their future. Would they give up and call it quits, or would they work through it and make it work? So far, it had been the latter. The day she walked out of his house upset because he wanted to give into family and social pressure, she knew she wasn't going to leave him permanently…she just needed a moment to collect her thoughts. And then when he came chasing after her, he reminded her of the prince he claimed to be in high school. She loved him, and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man.

That being said, she also wasn't going to roll over and show her belly each and every time his family (mainly his grandmother) said jump. Her father had raised her to be independent and have her own mind. She refused to turn into one of the debutantes that smiled, waved, and went along with whatever the head of the family said. Working hard had got her where she was, and she would continue to strive to fulfill each and every one of her dreams with or without the Suoh family permission. She only needed her friends and Tamaki's support.

"You're ready," Kaoru spoke softly, a smile lighting up his face.

"Wait! Don't peek yet!" Hikaru exclaimed.

Feeling tugging on her head, she knew the older twin was still working on her hair; and when it came to hair and makeup, she learned long ago these two were perfectionists. Any time there was a major event, she counted on them to help her out. While it was true she had learned the basics to makeup between them and her father over the past few years, she was by no means talented or patient enough to do her hair or makeup for major events…and paying someone else to do it for her seemed like a huge waste of money.

One last tug, a spray of hairspray, and his masterpiece was done. "All right, now open your eyes," Hikaru said solemnly and waited.

Slowly lifting her eye lids, she looked into the mirror in front of her and gasped. Once again, their genius came through. Her hair was pulled back into a tight, full bun with her bangs pulled to the side. Her makeup, was done perfectly…natural and yet glamorous at the same time. Tears started to fill her eyes, "It's…It's…"

"FABULOUS!" The twins announced together, and the trio laughed.

The twins each grabbed an arm and pulled her out of the chair and shoved her into the bedroom of the hotel suite they were using, "We don't have much time," Kaoru explained.

"So put on the dress and then we will button you up," Hikaru told her.

"Hurry!" The twins impatiently prodded as they closed the door after giving her one last push.

Her wedding to Tamaki was happening downstairs on one of the Suoh hotels. Today was the day and with the twins' help, she didn't feel as nervous or anxious about the day. It almost felt like she was getting ready for a Host Club cosplay day, albeit with more permanent results. No longer would she be just the fiancée or girlfriend. No longer would she be Haruhi Fujioka…at least in name. After today, she would be Haruhi Suoh…she couldn't wait.

Slipping off the robe, she carefully got into the wedding dress her best friends designed for her. It was simple, elegant, and utterly beautiful. A lace fit and flare dress with a sweetheart neckline, cap sleeves, and a cathedral length train. And they even made a lace veil to match it perfectly. The back came up to under her shoulder blades, but the entire thing had to be buttoned…not something she could do, but the twins volunteered to help her. She was pretty sure it was so they could tease Tamaki, and when her fiancé learned who was going to help her get dressed, a small explosion and a puff of smoke could be heard. She was kind of surprised the fire alarm didn't go off at the restaurant the night before at the rehearsal dinner.

Dress on, she called out, "Okay guys, come help me button this thing." When they came in, she grumbled, "Honestly, I don't know why you couldn't put a zipper on this. It would have been easier than the buttons."

"Easier yes, but…" Kaoru started.

"Not as much fun," Hikaru supplied.

"What does that mean?" Haruhi questioned slightly confused.

The twins looked at each other and smirked before turning their Cheshire cat grins onto her. "Just imagine it, the boss and you in your honeymoon suite after the after party, him undressing you…" Hikaru sounded like he was telling a story.

"Tono has to undo each button, the anticipation is building…" Kaoru gushed.

"You do realize that means he might destroy the dress," Haruhi deadpanned.

They waved off her statement, "We can always fix it."

"I see," she sweat dropped. When her two closest friends got something into their mind, they were unstoppable…and most of the time their ideas involved how to torture Tamaki. Needless to say, her life remained interesting. When they picked on him, he came crying to her or "mommy" (Kyoya really wished Tamaki would stop calling him that) and they had the job of dealing with the twins, or telling the blond to get over it (the latter happened more times than naught lately). On days when Tamaki wanted to pout, Haruhi wondered if ordering a human sized hamster cage was possible; and on other days, Tamaki seemed to buck up at least a little. He was learning.

A scratching feeling on her head pulled her attention away from thoughts of her future husband and to the full length mirror in the bedroom. Kaoru was affixing her veil as the finishing touch. She hadn't even realized they were done with her dress, but they were and once again she had to admire their work. The dress and everything was perfect. It was exactly how she pictured her gown, and somehow, they had made her dream a reality. "Thanks guys."

"Look Kaoru, our toy has morphed into a real lady," Hikaru teased, a glimmer of tears in his eyes.

"Yeah, but she'll always be our toy and best friend," Kaoru allowed one tear to fall and kissed the bride on the cheek, "You look beautiful and the boss will probably faint with happiness."

"I hope not. I wonder if Kyoya brought smell salts," Haruhi quipped.

"A joke! She actually told a joke!" The twins teased her.

"I'm so proud that we finally were some sort of influence over you," Hikaru snickered and hugged his friend.

A soft knock at the door drew the trio's attention and they left the sanctity of the bedroom for the front door, but before they could open it, a voice called out and it was not Ranka on the other side of the door. Instead the muffled voice of the groom rang out, "Haruhi, are you there?"

"Tamaki? Don't come in!" Haruhi yelled. Why was he there? Was there some sort of problem?

"I just wanted to say that, I love you and I can't wait to marry you."

"I love you too," she replied, a soft look of devotion and love appearing on her face. "Now go away before I call Kyoya."

A squeak and then he quickly said, "I'm going!"

"Out of everyone, I figured he would be the one to try and break tradition," Kaoru shook his head sniggering.

"Yeah," Haruhi and Hikaru said together and again the trio started to laugh, each hoping that things wouldn't change too much after the nuptials…and if Haruhi had anything to say about it, they wouldn't. She needed her friends just as much as she needed Tamaki. They had each impacted her life and taught her about herself and who she wanted to be. The hosts may say that she influenced them, but they influenced her just as much. She learned to fight for what she wanted, to not care who stood in her way, and as long as she tried, almost anything was possible. And of course the important lesson, waking Kyoya or Hunny up when they are sleeping was a huge mistake. On more than one occasion, she had to patch up Tamaki when something was hurled at his head.

Today she would marry Tamaki and change her name, but nothing else would change. She would still be the same Haruhi on the inside. Years ago, she had walked into Music Room 3 looking for a place to study and instead, she found a family and a life. Spring had finally come and never before would she live in winter. Her friends wouldn't allow her. Now as another set of double doors opened, she walked willingly towards Tamaki instead of running away from him. Odd how things changed and life had a way of surprising you.


End file.
